Sir F. HALLasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that London butchers are still having allotted to them old cow meat which, in pre-war days, would have been condemned as unfit for human consumption, and that in many cases London butchers are having delivered to them meat of inferior quality which is practically nothing but skin and bone; on what grounds such meat is imported, seeing that there is no nutriment in it; and whether, considering the price that is demanded by the butchers in consequence of the cost to them, he will preclude altogether the importation into this country of such inferior meat?
§ Major ASTORNo alteration has been made in the standard of meat fit for human consumption; I regret that some of the meat distributed in recent months has been inferior in quality to the bulk of that imported before the War, but the quality of the meat now being placed on the market shows a decided improvement, which it is hoped to maintain. A concession in price has been made to retailers in consideration of the waste caused by the use of meat of inferior quality.